STAR WARS Buckle made by Lee Begay NAVAJO Tufa Cast Sterling Silver

Description: STAR WARS Buckle made by Lee Begay NAVAJO Tufa Cast Sterling Silver, One of a Kind ! Navajo Sterling Silver Belt Buckle with Wonderful STAR WARS characters. Size is approx. 3.5 x 3 inches. Back has artists hallmark Lee B "16" SS which is LEE BEGAY 2016 Sterling Silver . Tufa Cast This is a ONE of a Kind Buckle due to the tufa cast process Never Used will be shipped with insurance Tufa stone is a compressed volcanic ash material that is found on the Navajo reservation. It is easier to carve than sandstone and its porous surface leaves a unique texture once the metal has cooled. Tufa casting is a labor-intensive process involving many steps. First, a tufa stone of the desired size is cut in half. The two halves are rubbed together to create a perfectly flush surface. A cone shaped hole, called a sprue hole, is carved at the top to allow the silver or gold to be poured in. Additional holes carved along the sides allow air to escape. Next, the artist’s design is carved into the flat surface on the inside of the mold. The negative space carved away will be filled with molten silver or gold. The tufa stone is then carbonized with a torch and the two halves are bound together with clamps. The desired metal is melted and poured into the tufa mold. Modern artists use gas torches or furnaces to melt their metal, but these tools were not always available. Early Navajo silversmiths would fill a pottery container with coins and settle it into the embers of a fire until the metal was in a liquid state. Once cooled, the hardened piece is taken out of the mold and the extra metal in the sprue hole is removed. The artist will carefully sand and clean the design, making sure to leave the porous texture from the tufa stone. The last step is to shape the flat metal into its final form, such as the curved semi-circle of a cuff bracelet. Generally, most tufa molds break after one casting. This makes tufa cast jewelry a one-of-a-kind work of art. The heat from the liquid metal may cause the tufa mold to break or fracture. Even if the mold remains intact, the casting process typically has worn down and damaged the carved design so that a second cast would not have the crisp design of the original. The tufa molds themselves are carved works of art. The tufa is destroyed, but its beauty is permanently imprinted on the metal it touches. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Lee Begay was born February 9th, 1970 the oldest of five children. it was the inspiration of his well-known younger brother, Darryl Dean, to start making tufa cast jewelry. He moved in with Darryl and Rebecca and they mentored him in the art of jewelry. His cousin, Philander, is also a great silversmith. Lee has fast become an amazing artist and his tufa cast is some of the best. He likes to do mostly traditional styles. Lee has won several awards for his work. He really enjoys the art of jewelry and has blossomed into a highly respected jeweler in his own right. He is a fun, life-loving artist . Let me know if you have any questions.

Price: 3350 USD

Location: Richardson, Texas

End Time: 2024-12-19T19:19:56.000Z

Shipping Cost: 18 USD